Transcript of "Lgbt a lliance subsidized scholarship program draft one 11.8.10"

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SubsidizedScholarshipProgram 2010This subsidized scholarship program supported by the LGBT Alliance 2010-2011grant with the Jewish Community Federation seeks to address two spheres ofinfluence on engagement: those in which LGBT Jews are grappling with the same LGBT Allianceissues as the broader community, but also those that constitute unique andspecific challenges for LGBT identified Jews.

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OVERVIEWOut of the principles of tikkun olam, to repair the world, btzelem elochem, we are all created in the image of thedivine and tzedek, justice, the LGBT Alliance hopes to inspire engagement amongst LGBT Jewish individuals andfamilies within the greater Bay Area Jewish community. The LGBT Alliance has worked over the past few years tounderstand the needs of the Bay Area individuals and families that dual-identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,Transgender (LGBT) and Jewish. We now have a qualitative-based understanding that a lack of engagement withthe organized Jewish community does not mean lack of deep Jewish identity. Bay Area LGBT Jews want to, andoften do, incorporate aspects of their Jewish identities and Jewish culture into their lives, outside and beyondsynagogue life. Additionally, having a strong Jewish identity does not necessarily translate into mainstream Jewishcommunity engagement. It is through this deeper understanding and complexity of LGBT Jewish identity that weintroduce our LGBT subsidized scholarship program for individuals and families. To learn more of what we havelearned and how we are implementing our learning please visit our website at www.qjew.org POPULATION SERVEDWe understand that the Bay Area is home to the third largest metropolitan Jewish community in the United Statesas well as the largest LGBT population. From multiple population findings, the LGBT Alliance estimates that theBay Area LGBT Jewish community population, dispersed across the Bay Area Jewish Community Federationsservice areas that includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda and Contra CostaCounties, is likely around 36,000 people or an estimated 8% to 11% of the total local Jewish population. Statisticsfrom the 2004 Bay Area Jewish Community Study indicate that a third of LGBT households are low-income and thatLGBT Jews are the poorest subgroup (or are more likely to experience poverty) than any other Jewish subgroup inthe Bay Area Jewish Community. The current economic recession continues to hit low-income individuals andfamilies the hardest and as President Barak Obama in his January 27, 2010 State of the Union address said, "Forthose that have known poverty, they feel it that much more now.” It is for these LGBT Jewish individuals andfamilies that we have created this subsidized scholarship program to level any economic barriers between themand their ability to participate in several of our Bay Area Jewish communities’ weekend Shabbaton(s) forindividuals and families. BARRIERS TO ENGAGEMENTIn some ways, Bay Area LGBT Jews are a microcosm of the larger Jewish community. Yet in addition to economicbarriers, LGBT Jews experience additional barricades to engagement outside of this microcosm of the larger Jewishcommunity. Yes, the majority of the Bay Areas Jewish organizations are at least open to the welcoming of LGBTpeople but only a minority of the Bay Areas Jewish organizations are characterized as pro-actively andsystematically inclusive in terms of the policies, practices, and programs that signal greater LGBT participation. Weunderstand that among the estimated 36,000 LGBT Jews residing in the Bay Area our younger generationsparticipate and affiliate less than our older generations; many of us are in interfaith relationships; we comprise aneconomically diverse group; and we have a wide-ranging diversity of opinions about and sense of connection withIsrael. Additionally, some of the universal identity issues that Jews experience amplify in our sub-communitiesbased on the multiple levels of barriers to break down before we get to questions of involvement or engagement. 2 LGBT Alliance Subsidized Scholarship Program | Jewish Community Federation

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LGBT NORMATIVE GROUPSWhile the majority of the Bay Areas Jewish organizations are at least open to the welcoming of LGBT people theorganizations that have been chosen to participate in the LGBT Alliance annually subsidized scholarships have eachdemonstrated the knowledge and ability to address, rather than dismiss, a number of issues that are unique to ourLGBT community. The staff and board of each of the organizations chosen have each demonstrated that their BayAreas Jewish organizations can be characterized as pro-actively and systematically inclusive in terms of thepolicies, practices, and programs that signal greater LGBT participation. These Jewish organizations are what wecolloquially term as LGBT normative because among other things, core concepts of sexual orientation, genderidentity and family that are squarely outside of “the mainstream” are addressed in a way that parallels a similarexperience within a LGBT-mission-based organization. PARTICIPATION & FEDERATION ATTRIBUTIONTo ensure maximum LGBT Jewish participation in these scholarships it is not only the community organizing andviral marketing responsibility of the LGBT Alliance but the community groups chosen to participate as well. Toensure diversified outreach strategies are utilized outreach is addressed via conversation during the communityorganizations selection process. As the LGBT Alliance is an internal and granted program of the Jewish CommunityFederation each of our participating organizations are required to attribute the LGBT Alliance of the JewishCommunity Federation in marketing materials for the specific weekend Shabbaton(s) sponsored. One example ofsuccessful attribution is with the 2009 Hazon Food Conference. In addition to the LGBT Alliance banner hanging inthe main eating area and logo listed as a sponsor on their website- the 6 lay leaders that attended via LGBTAlliance subsidized scholarship funds were responsible for coming up with the idea and then implementing a first-night mixer to get to know the other LGBT Jews that attended the conference. It was a marked success with 40LGBT Jews participating in the mixer. SELECTION PROCESSEach of the selected organizations and programs receiving our LGBT Alliance subsidized scholarship funds havedemonstrated a deeper understanding as well as their intentions, implementation and abilities to celebrate, affirmand welcome the unique distinctions that Bay Area LGBT Jews need to witness and experience outwardly in orderto participate. Through a dynamic conversation and process, each organizational group identifies a unique waythat mutual-attribution can be found that works for their program and the LGBT Alliance. Aimed at confidentially,efficiency and trust the LGBT Alliance staff is responsible for choosing the organizational recipients of the LGBTAlliance subsidized scholarship funds but not for the choices of individuals that each of the Bay Area Jewishorganizations chooses to participate in each of these specific weekend Shabbaton(s) programs. Therefore, allapplications for these dollars go directly to the organization and NOT the LGBT Alliance. 3 LGBT Alliance Subsidized Scholarship Program | Jewish Community Federation

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2010-2011 SUBSIDIZED SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS 1. The Hazon Food Conference is a unique annual gathering held over each Christmas holiday bringing together 200+ foodies to connect, collaborate, and continue to build the New Jewish Food Movement. The conference is shifting from a national focus to a regional focus and located at the Walker Creek Ranch on the edge of Sonoma in Marin County. The LGBT Alliance is set to sponsor 6 attendees (each of these Hazon-selected grantees will work collaboratively to host a lunch table to share information about the LGBT Alliance and discuss being involved as an LGBT Jew within the new Jewish food movement. http://www.hazon.org/go.php?q=/food/conference/2010FLF/theHazonFoodConference.html Agreed upon contribution $2,000 2. Nehirim West in conjunction with Nehirim Queer San Francisco Shabbaton held each spring is Nehirim West, a weekend of community building, spirituality, culture, relaxation and fun for GLBT Jews, partners, and allies located at Walker Creek Ranch. This next year, Nehirim also plans to have an additional Urban Shabbaton in February. http://www.nehirim.org/west The agreed upon contribution dollars dispersed amongst both programs have not yet been set. 3. Camp Tawongas Keshet LGBT Family Weekend Camp An annual weekend located at Camp Tawonga that provides a strong community for LGBTQ parents and their children to learn, explore, and play in the beauty of the Sierra Mountains http://www.tawonga.org/weekend-programs/keshet.php Agreed upon contribution is not yet set. 4. Bay Area Jewish Healing Centers Grief and Growing Weekend An annual healing weekend for bereaved individuals and families located traditionally at Camp Tawonga yet it may for the second year be held at Camp Newman http://www.jewishhealingcenter.org/griefandgrowingfaqs.htm Agreed upon contribution set at $2,000. STRATEGY ALIGNMENTThis subsidized scholarship program supported by the LGBT Alliance 2010-2011 grant with the Jewish CommunityFederation seeks to address two spheres of influence on engagement: those in which LGBT Jews are grappling withthe same issues as the broader community, but also those that constitute unique and specific challenges for LGBTidentified Jews. As 2010 is ending and 2011 is just about to begin, the LGBT Alliance continues to experience anincrease in demand for subsidized programs in the Jewish community. Engaging LGBT Jews with Jewish life viaavenues of spiritual care and leadership development at this increasingly difficult economic time is an essentialpiece of our overall LGBT Alliance strategy. This strategy outlined in our LGBT Alliance 2010-2011 grant with theJewish Community Federation divides resources in the following five areas: Building Community Partnerships(15%), Developing Leadership (35%), Fostering Engagement with Israel (15%), Enhancing Online Content andAccess to Resources (20%) and Cultivating Giving (15%). 4 LGBT Alliance Subsidized Scholarship Program | Jewish Community Federation